Adjustable valve for piano-player actions.



c. L. DAVIS. ADJUSTABLE vVALVE FOB PIANO PLAYER ACTIONS.

' APPLICATION FILED JAN, 25, 1907.

961,939,, Patented June 21,1910.

lWIichigamhave invented a certain new and can be screwed up and down in the stem 5. useful Improvement in Adjustable Valves Below the valve mechanism thus described, for Piano-Player Actions, of which the folis the pouch mechanism, consisting of a lowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact del metal disk 13 connected with the lower side scription, reference being had to the accomof the casing 1 by a threaded ring 14 and a panying drawings, forming a part of this pouch 15 held in position betweenthe edge of specification. the disk 13 and therim 16 formed on the metal My invention relates to actions for mecas1ng. The disk 13 is connected with a tube chanical piano players, and especially to the 17 which is understood to run to the tracker valve devices for opening and closing the board so that the air entering the tracker vacuum and air ports in suchactions. ports will actuate the pouch 15. The pouch The principal object of the invention is to 15 is provided with a pad 18 which is posiarrange for the perfect adjustment of such tioned-below the head 11 on the valve spinvalves to their seats, and tothe cooperating dle 10. By turning the spindle 10 the head actuating mechanisms usually in the form of 11 can be adjusted with reference to the "pad leather pouches. 18 so that a proper adjustment between the In an application filed by me November valves 6 and ,especially the valve 6 and the 27, 1905, Serial No. 289,148, I have shown pouch 15, can be secured. This adjustment, and describedan adjustable valve for piano it will be seen, can be made after the entire player actions, and \in the present applicaaction is assembled, so that to adjust the tion I show, describe and Iclaim such valve action preparatory to its being sent out, it and modifications thereof, so'that this apcan first be constructed and completely asplication becomes in effect a division of my sembled, and then adjusted as required. said other application. Also after the action has been shipped or In theaccompanying drawings, Figure 1 used and has become somewhat out of adis a view of a section of a piano player acjustment, it can be readily adjusted in the tion showing an adjustable valve embofiying same way Without taking the action apart. my invention, such valve onstruction' eing In this way it will be seen that a great savthe one shown in my saidother application; ing of time on the part of adjusters can be Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a different obtaine thereby greatly reducing the exform of player action having a modified pense of assembling. At the same time the construction of adjustable valve. adjustment can be made perfect because it Referring first to Fig. 1, I have shown a will be made when the action is completed section of a metalaction for piano players and therefore nothing'will be done to the disclosed in my said other application. This action after adjustment is made to throw it action has a metal casing 1 which is conout of adjustment. nected with the apparatus for .inducin a In Fig. 2 I have shdwn a slightly modicurrentof air, and is provided with thlm has tied form of action with a different form of 2 carrying caps 3, the latter belng connected adjustable valve arrangement embod ing the by tubes 4 which extend to the pneumatics arrangement heretofore set forth. his acor to secondary valve mechanism, according tion comprises a metal casing 1 as before, as the action is a single or double primary. and primary and secondary valve mechan- These parts 2 and 3 provide a valve-supportisms 20, 21. The primary valve mechanism ing arrangement for a valve which is shown consists of the thimble 2 and cap 3 previously consisting of a hollow stem 5 carrying valves described, the latter being connected with 6 and 7, the former of which is adapted to the tube 4 as before. A valve 6' is mounted open and close. an air port 8 in the cap 3, upon the cap 3 to control the air port 8, and and the latter of which is adapted to open the valve spindle 10 is threaded directly to and close a vacuum port 9 in the thimble this valve 6, and the spindle itself carries 2. Through the bore of thehollow stem 5 the exhaust port valve 7 as well as the head is extended a spindle UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

CHARLES L. DAVIS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO A. MILLER BELFIELD AND JOHN P. MENTZER, TRUSTEES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

961,939. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1910. Application filed January 25, 1907.

Serial to. 353,995.

To all whom it may concern: tends down below the valve 7 and is pro Be it known that I, CHARLES L. DAVIS, a vided with a head 11. The up 1' end of citizen of the United-States, residing at Dethis spindle 10 is conveniently attened to troit, in the county of Wayne and State of form cars 12, and-it is threaded so that it 10 whose lower end ex- 11. In this way, by turning the spindle 1Q, ,119

the head 11 is adjusted valve 6 and at the same time the valve 7 is also adjusted with reference to the valve 6. Below this valve mechanism is the pouch mechanism, consisting of a disk 13 held in place by a ring H which is mounted upon pins 22, 22 and adjusted upon the same by nuts 23, 23. The pouch 15 provided with pad 18, is held in position by the disk 18 and an intermediate washer 24;.

The secondary valve mechanism comprises a valve seat 26 ponveniently formed on the casing 1, and a tube section 27 mounted on the seat 26, and a cap 28 threaded to the upper end of the tube 2'? and separated therefrom by a packing washer 29 to form an air-tight joint. J11 the cap 28 is secured a bridge 30 extending across the air opening 31 in the cap 28. A valve 32 is mounted upon the seat 26 and adapted to open and close vacuum ports 33, 33, and is provided with a stem 34; carrying a head 35. From the upper end of the valve 32 extends a threaded spindle 36 which is threaded in a wooden cap 37 mounted in and arranged to work in the bridge 30. Below this mechanism is the pouch disk 13 supported by a ring l t as previously described. Thus by adjustment of the valvespindle 36 to the cap 3'7, the valve is adjustedin place and the cap 37 serves to hold it and guide it in its proper operation.

In this action it will be seen that the primary valve canbe adjusted with reference to its pouch, by turning the valve spindle 10 and that this adjustment can occur as described in previous mechanism after the action is completed, and at any time when it is in service. This arrangement is also with reference to the senses simple and inexpensive and has the advans ta eous points hereinbefore referred to.

ith reference to the secondary valve mechanism, it will be seen that the valve spindle there is also adjustable to secure proper adjustment of the valve.

It will be understood that changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

hat I claim is 1. The combination of a casing providing a valve chamber and having a port in its top, a bridge mounted upon the top of said casing, a valve confined in the casing and having a spindle which projects out through the top thereof and through said bridge and has its upper end threaded, and a bushing 37 threaded upon the threaded portion of said valve spindle.

2. The combination of a casing providing a pneumatic chamber, a valve spindle cxtending up through the top of said casing and having its ppper end threaded and a ,valve carried by said spindle, an exposed member at the top of said casing which is accessible to be held so as to permit rotation of the spindle relatively to said member for the permanent adjustment of the valve, together with a pouch below the valve spindle with reference to which the valve with its spindle is adjusted.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of December A. D. 1906.

CHARLES L. DAVIS.

lVitnesses 

